Compassion in World Farming is calling on the Irish Agriculture Minister to quit as President of the EU Agriculture Council, following the news that live cattle exports to Libya are resuming this week.  The resumption coincides with Ireland’s Presidency of the EU.

Philip Lymbery, Compassion’s CEO, said it was a significant backwards step by Ireland, just at the time when the country should be showing leadership at the EU level. “Live exports are cruel, archaic and there is no place for them in modern Europe, “ he said.

The charity is calling on Simon Coveney, the Irish Agricultural Minister, to stand aside from his role as President of the EU Agriculture Council when animal welfare is on the agenda. Compassion feels that it is inappropriate for animal welfare debates to be presided over by a country that is engaging in a trade which it alleges is both cruel and in breach of the EU Treaty.

Mr Lymbery said: “We urge Ireland, even at this eleventh hour, to think again and pull out of this brutal trade in living creatures. If they do not, Ireland must forfeit its role as President of the EU Agriculture Council when animal welfare is being discussed. A country that is cynically ignoring the EU Treaty’s provisions on animal welfare is unfit to lead EU decision-making in this area.”

According to newspaper reports, a shipment of nearly 3,000 cattle is due to leave Waterford, Ireland for Libya this week on board the Al Mahmoud Express. The sea journey takes at least a week.